School is back, and the halls are buzzing with excitement for a brand new year ahead. You may be asking yourself, who will I become? As you ponder the potential, take some inspiration from the 2026 line-up of academic all-stars who took the top spots in America’s Favorite Teacher and America’s Favorite Student.
$5.5 million raise supporting The Planetary Society
Through the competitions, Colossal has proudly raised over $5.5 million since 2025 to support The Planetary Society, the world’s largest non-profit space organization, whose mission is to empower global citizens to explore new worlds and seek answers to life’s greatest questions.
America’s Favorite Student Champion
Andrew
This straight-A student is heading into seventh grade with big goals and a bright future ahead.
Andrew is a well-mannered, empathetic kid with a passion for science and the way it connects to real-world challenges and discovery. At school, his favorite part of the day is band class, where he gets to play the trumpet. When he's not in the classroom, Andrew enjoys riding his bike, playing games, and spending time with friends.
Andrew’s determination has been molded by both ordinary victories and extraordinary challenges. Born with a heart condition, he underwent open-heart surgery when he was just five days old. Today, that experience serves as a testament to how far he has come and how much he can accomplish.
Named America’s Favorite Student, Andrew sees the honor as equally exciting and meaningful. It represents the support of the people who believe in him and inspires him to live up to their confidence. Motivated by his family and especially his fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Dodson, Andrew hopes to become a chemical engineer one day. His message to others is simple: do your best, work hard, and remember that success can come from anywhere.
Finalist: Ava
Ava Simmons is better known as Ava The STEM Princess, a young innovator on a mission to make science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) accessible and empowering for kids everywhere. This lovely learning ambassador found her confidence in the classroom when she discovered a learning style that worked with her dyslexia and dysgraphia. Today, she’s turning those challenges into a superpower.
As an author, STEM entrepreneur, Certified Play Expert (CPE), PBS Kids Rootle STEM show host, and youth leader, Ava helps children around the globe unlock their potential through hands-on learning. She founded Team Genius Squad to inspire young minds to embrace STEM and discover their “inner genius.” Through innovative products like experiment lab kits, puzzles, interactive plush dolls, and more, Ava is proving that STEM can be both educational and fun.
“My challenges taught me that your struggles do not have to define your future,” Ava says. With passion, purpose, and plenty of sparkle, The STEM Princess is building a future where every child feels empowered to dream big.
Finalist: Sanskrit
Born in India and raised in New Jersey, Sanskrit approaches life with curiosity, fueling his
achievements in science, aviation, Scouting, space research, music, art, and community
service. Guided by the Indian philosophy of Vasudeva Kutumbakam, meaning “The whole world is one family”, he believes learning and growth happen through connections with others.
A rising high school freshman, Sanskrit finds inspiration in exchanging ideas with classmates, teachers, and mentors. Outside the classroom, he is an active Scout working toward Eagle rank, an aspiring pilot learning to fly, and a dedicated advocate for expanding bike-lane infrastructure to improve students’ access to school. Whether it’s exploring history, science, or service, Sanskrit is motivated by a desire to help humanity move forward together.
America’s Favorite Teacher Champion
Ivy Miller
For Ivy Miller, teaching is about helping every student believe in themselves.
The fourth-grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher from Tennessee discovered her calling through a series of life experiences, from growing up helping teachers after school alongside her mother, an Educational Assistant, to leading a restaurant’s weekly kids’ night as a teenager. Ivy always knew she wanted to help people and even considered a path in psychology. Ultimately, the opportunity to be a positive force in children’s lives and to give them love and support called her to teaching.
Ms. Miller describes her teaching style as relationship-centered, interactive, and thoughtfully chaotic. Whether she’s connecting U.S. history to students’ everyday lives, starting class with a question of the day, or encouraging a little snow-day magic with inside-out pajamas, Miller creates a setting in which learning is both personalized and fun.
Named America’s Favorite Teacher, Miller plans to use her winnings to support a local nonprofit serving families in her community, enhance her classroom library and learning materials, and do something special for her brother, one of her biggest supporters.
“The best part of teaching,” she says, “is watching students grow into who they’re meant to be.” The same can be said for Ms. Miller!
Instagram: @ivy_summerr
Finalist: Evelyn Downey
Born and raised on Long Island, New York, and now inspiring students in Temecula, California, Mrs. Evelyn Downey has built her career around helping children discover their full potential. As a middle school math teacher and Student Support and Accountability Advisor, she believes in educating the whole child—nurturing each student's unique gifts with fairness, consistency, and compassion.
Her classroom is grounded in daily prayer, meaningful check-ins, and the simple reminder that her students are loved. By embracing new teaching methods each year, Mrs. Downey continues to learn alongside her students, creating an environment where both confidence and curiosity can thrive.
Finalist: Noelle Habashi
Born in New Jersey and raised in California, Noelle Habashi followed her passion for education from an early age. Now a special education teacher in Irvine, she works with first- and second-grade students, creating a classroom built on a philosophy of bountiful love with boundaries.
Inspired by her middle school mentor, Tara Costello-Lam, Noelle became a fierce advocate for students with disabilities and their families. She finds the greatest joy in watching her students’ confidence grow and helping them discover their potential. Outside the classroom, Noelle enjoys beach days, coffee shops, and adventures with her dachshund puppy, Chip.
Instagram: @Noelle.habashi
Learn more about other Colossal competitions and the way they inspire people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Colossal is a nationally registered professional fundraiser who encourages people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Colossal’s America’s Favorite Teacher and Student competitions serve as a fundraising campaign for DTCare, a U.S. 501(c)(3) public charity organization.
